This letter is in response to one written by Jim Sottile recently. I have to agree with him on one point: People in Macon County are terrible at minding their own business.

If a family has a tragedy, such as a house fire, sick child, etc, these meddlesome folk here will immediately organize a benefit, with volunteer musicians, bakers, etc., just to help them “live their lives.”

This letter is in response to the article entitled, “No need to expand N.C.’s Juvenile Courts” that appeared in the Macon County News Volume 30 Number 14 on Thursday, August 30, 2012. I sincerely hope that you will publish this in The Macon County News and thereby allow the perspective of a parent to be considered.

Senator Thom Goolsby offered his perspective of what he thinks is a better solution than the legislation proposed in Senate Bill 434. I would like to offer my opinion as a parent on this issue.

The impending election and how we vote will change the lives of not only the current seniors, the disabled but the workers within a few years of retirement. Not only are the so called entitlement programs (Social Security, Medicare on The Republican adopted budget authored by Paul Ryan, but humane programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, etc. for the poorest. Such as North Carolina's children (Statistically, 40% at poverty level) are on the chopping block. The Ryan budget backed by the Republican Tea Partyist Coalition plan to reduce the U.S. trillions deficit off the backs of the middle class and not quite middle working citizens. Jackson County middle class is the low $30's with 7,000 or more uninsured for health care.

On behalf of the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County/Franklin Folk Festival Committee, we would like to thank the many groups, businesses, sponsors and individuals that came together to help us put on the 9th Annual Franklin Folk Festival held downtown on July 21, 2012. This year’s festival boasted record attendance with even more activities as we partnered with the Franklin Fire Department to celebrate their 100th anniversary as part of the festival. Most importantly, without the involvement of our “demonstrators” showing trades and a way of life from the turn of the century, our festival would cease to exist.

In 2011, 520 people donated 6,345.50 hours to make the festival happen and after this year’s final results are tallied, we expect even more. This volunteer-led festival orchestrated by the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County (often mislabeled as one of the town’s festivals) is held each year to help meet the mission of our non-profit organization: